


Over an Easy Drink

by Duchesse



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gender Neutral, M/M, Pining, Reader Insert, Romance, basically they just have a nice drink together, reader interactive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-27
Updated: 2019-06-27
Packaged: 2020-05-20 17:11:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,510
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19381129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duchesse/pseuds/Duchesse
Summary: The annual meeting was the only thing you looked forward to in life. Most of all, you cherished an easy drink with him.[Vincent Valentine/Reader]





	Over an Easy Drink

**Author's Note:**

> friend request from tumblr.

As simple a thing as it was, the annual reunion among your friends often rested heavily in the forefront of your mind the closer the days drew. You thought about them more than you wanted to admit, usually amid a shift at Tifa’s with your arms crushed to the elbows in dishes and suds. The monotony of life had a way of finding a way under your skin; the solitude and peace that came with the reconstruction of Midgar and survival in general was wholly bothersome.

You felt like you needed to be doing more, it was an insatiable itch so deep in the skin, burrowed into your marrow that it had cost you most things in life. Many livelihoods and many homes were lost in your tirelessly gallivanting ways with an endless gratitude towards Tifa for choosing to look the other way.

Once a hero, now a dishwasher in the evenings to keep your stay. The characters that visited at night were the same faces with the same stories; sometimes you were given the fortune to crack a few bones from lumbering troublemakers.

“I got lucky last week. A couple of guys got into a brawl, and I had to kick them out.” You listened to the ice rattle inside the cup, stirring the amber drink with the roll of your wrist. “Tifa usually has me do it because Marlene and Denzel still have school in the morning. Marlene is a terror when she’s been woken up.”

“Sounds like you have your hands full.” Vincent gave his monotonous reply, eyes trained on the red liquid he carefully spun in his glass. You could barely discern his face in the dim light of the bar, both of you having opted for a booth towards the back. “The others… have you heard from them?”

You cheeks twitched as you took another sip, smothering a hiss between your teeth as the liquor slithered down your throat and burned. “Mm, Cloud’s around more often. But he still bolts a lot when it comes to responsibility here. So, whatever. Tifa’s always been alpha, though.”

Vincent shifted a little, mimicking you as he took a drink of his wine. For a moment, you thought you had heard him breathe a laugh. Still, you continued, “Uh, I think Cid is in Rocket Town still. I called him last week about a temp job, we got into a fight. Shera called back and apologized. So, there’s that. He’s healthy as a horse and annoying as shit.”

“Good to know.” He said, breezily.

“Yeah, uh, I haven’t seen Yuffie in a while. So, I honestly have no clue about her.” You swished more booze against your cheeks, eyes floating around the vacant bar. Vincent had always been a bit difficult to talk to, though compared to the beginning in the old Shin-Ra mansion, he had become an absolute chatterbox. “Cait Sith, we all know that deal. Barrett comes by every once and a while and talks to me about that oil business. Do you think I should get into it? Like, imagine what money I’d make.”

The adjacent seat groaned when he moved, head lifting enough so you could catch the glimmer in his eyes. “I couldn’t tell you. You would be far away, always on the move.”

“Yeah, but that would be so exciting.” You complained, jutting your lips as you slipped lower on the leather seat. “Shin-Ra is still operational, apparently. Rufus has his lackeys running around sometimes. Rude, Reno, and the girl- uh, Elena, come by for a drink. They’re alright, but probably spying. Tifa won’t let me boot them out.”

His eyebrows lifted at the slightest, nearly unnoticeable to an untrained eye. “She let’s them in here?”

“Believe me, I didn’t like it at first. I basically jumped on the counter at them, but Tifa yelled at me to not leave footprints.” The memory still made your cheeks burn in embarrassment. “They’re fine, though. Nanaki I haven’t heard anything from since our last meeting. You know anything?”

“About as much as you.” He replied, managing to polish off his glass of wine before reaching for the bottle next to him for a refill. “Cosmo Canyon, likely. He didn’t come this time.”

Your arms slid off the table where your hands cupped your knees. There was an odd emptiness at the table without him there to bark some jests or pass along some stories. Of all of your friends, though, you couldn’t say you were surprised that Nanaki was virtually unreachable. A lack of thumbs tended to contribute to that, but even then, he probably wouldn’t have bothered.

His privacy was even more sacred than Vincent’s.

“So, what about you, Vincent? What’s been your life recently?” You had to ask, expecting very little in return to the question. “I’m worried about you… more than anyone. Nanaki still goes somewhere where he’s known. Are you alright on your own?”

The wine glass sat untouched, liquid inside still as he was. When he finally glanced above the high collar of his cloak, you couldn’t distinguish the look he gave you. Something was there; like a man with a great secret to tell, yet there was a flicker of pain as though they were words he could not bear to speak.

It was an uncomfortable silence, you found. Your mind whirled in an attempt to rectify the situation you caused, nails drumming against the metal tabletop. “I… don’t answer that. Just know, I’m always here you. I’m… I’m glad to have you in my life. I’d help you out, no matter what.”

He seemed to contemplate your words for a while, eyes floating down towards the table and the clawed hand resting atop it. “Are sins capable of being forgiven?”

“Wow, this took a turn.” You sputtered, blowing a rather unflattering noise from between your lips as your cheeks deflated. “Uh, god. I need more booze. I really hope so because I’m not exactly the most pristine person on the planet, y'know?”

“That wasn’t a question I should have asked, I’m sorry.”

You knew he had been in some kind of mood when he came inside earlier. It was inevitable that the conversation would had gone this way, yet it still managed to catch you off-guard. There was even a sneaking suspicion gnawing at you that you knew what evoked those feelings from him.

It was undoubtedly a sore topic between you both, yet it was inescapable all the same. You had learned early on with him that he couldn’t be rushed to let go of things, he would do it in his own time, under his own circumstances. That had been the hardest thing for you, truly, and the reason why you couldn’t have waited for him.

After all this time, he still yearned and suffered from something beyond his control. And you- you could only be there as a healthy clap on the shoulder and a friend, nothing more.

“Don’t worry so much, Vin.” You said, fingers moving across the table surface as you ran the options through your head. They ached to reach for him, yet burned and writhed at the thought. “I shouldn’t have really brought up anything.”

You decided in the next few seconds by sliding your arm across the table to rest your hand atop of his. The warmth of your hand was a pleasant contrast to the how cold his felt; still the same as you remembered. Against your touch, the muscles in his hand tensed, jerked as though resisting the urge to pull away. “Just know, no matter what, I’m still gonna be there to back you up. Keep that in mind.”

He didn’t move his hand away from yours, rather he seemed more relaxed now. You met his gaze with warmth, offering an encouraging nod and hearty pat on his hand before bouncing up from your seat.

“Well! I finished off my drink. Want more wine? Tifa keeps a stash of red just for you.” You had rounded the table without offering him another glance, perhaps in a rush to escape the uneasiness in your chest or the heat on your ears. You hadn’t expected for him to reach after you, taking your forearm gently to slow your gait. “Y-Yeah?”

Vincent withdrew into his cloak, beside himself with having stopped you at all. “The wine… would be nice. Thanks.”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure.” You offered a meek smile. “I’ll get it, no problem.”

Even then, he did not let you go. In some way, you didn’t want him to, yet you knew this wasn’t who he was. And he knew that as well.

“Thank you.” Those were the only words he spoke before releasing you, his hand lingering for just a moment before slowly, reluctantly falling away. His eyes were earnest, doubtlessly true in what he said.

You smiled at him again, giving an enthusiastic nod before taking long strides away towards the backroom. All the while, you thought about the warmth of his touch that you no longer had.


End file.
